Mounting plate for tools, dies, etc., for presses



B. E. IRMIS July 30, 1935,

MOUNTING PLATE FOR TOOLS, DIES, ETC., FOR PRES SES Filed June 16, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet July 30, 1935.

Filed June 16, 1934 B.ELIRNHS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 MOUNTING PLATE FOR TOOLS, DIES, ETC., FOR PRESSES 30, 1935. B. E. IRMIS I 2,009,660

MOUNTING PLATE FOR TOOLS, DIES, ETC., FOR PRESSES Fil'ed June 16, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 T. I \i,\

Patented July 30, 1935 MOUNTING PLATE FOR TOOLS, DIES, ETC., FOR PRESSES Benjamin E. Irmis, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 16, 1934, Serial No. 730,986

9 Claims.

Heretofore in mounting dies or tools in a press considerable time as. well as the services of a skilled mechanic have been required in order to set the co-operating die members, or tools in exact registering positions. v

Each of the dies has heretofore been formed in or from a block of metal of considerable hardness, which has been respectively recessed or set into the shoe carried by the ram, and into the bed or bolster plate of the press,,to prevent lateral displacement, and as the block has of necessity been of a considerable thickness, considerable cutting and grinding has been necessary, with the result that considerable labor and expense are involved in the production and mounting of the dies and tools.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved mounting plate for the dies, etc., which is of considerably less thickness than the usual die block, and'which plates are .provided with the necessary apertures for the anchor bolts, as well as registering openings for the temporary reception of alinement pins inserted thereinto to maintain such alinement while the plates are being secured in position, after.

which the openings occupied by the alining pins in the respective plates may be employed for dowel pins for maintaining the plates against displacement with respect to the shoes, with the result that there will be ease of securing perfect alinement at a very low cost.

A further object of the invention is to provide thin mounting plates for the dies, and which plates are respectively secured to the ram and bolster, the ram and bolster being constructed of suitable material not necessarily ofhardened steel, while the mounting plates are constructed of suitable steel material, thereby rendering it possible to secure the plates directly to the ram and bolster in a manner that the machining of the supports for the plates will be rediit'ed to a minimum. As the dies are secured directly to the mounting plates, considerably less tool steel will be employed in producing the plates, and the cost ofproducing the dies will be materially reduced, as much less machining of the parts will be required, owing to the fact that considerably less tool steel is employed than in the ordinary method of producing and mounting dies, etc. As the plates and dies will also be considerably lighter than heretofore, the handling thereof will be greatly facilitated. .0

This invention is particularly adapted for use in what might be termed short run, that is for use in producing a, small number of parts, so that the expensive production of dies for this purpose will be obviated, and comparatively inexpensive dies may be provided for such short runs.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved interchangeable die mounting plates whereby it is possible, after one set of dies has been employed and the run completed, the dies may be removed from the plates and new dies secured or mounted upon the plate, the plates and dies then being inserted and positioned in the machine, with the assurance that there will be perfect alinement and at the same time the cost of assembling and mounting the dies will be materially reduced.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts of the apparatus and of substantially the steps in the method, hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a View partly in elevation, partly in section, partly broken away, and with parts omitted, of a portion of a press having the dies mounted therein in accordancewith the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a view taken on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, of another form of press.

Figure 4 is a view of the ram and bolster of a press showing one of the steps in the operation of alining the die plates by the use of temporary guide pins.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a female die member.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a male die member.

Figures 7 to 11 inclusive illustrate the manner of mounting the die members upon the plates and of alining the plates. I

Referring more, particularly to the drawings, and especially to Figures} and 4, the numeral I 5 designates generally a reciprocating ram having a die shoe "5 secured thereto' in any suitable manner (not shown), a portion of the shoe being recessed into the ram as at IT, and the shoe may be constructed of any suitable material, not necessarily of hardened tool steel.

The numeral l8 designates generally a die mounting plate which is constructed of suitable steel which is comparatively thin with relation to its length and width, and this plate I8 is secured tothe face of the shoe l6 by means of suitable fastening bolts I9, the face of the shoe l8 being ground in the usual manner, the shoe being provided with dowel pin openings l6 extending through the exposed face of the shoe.

The numeral 28 designates a bolster mounted upon the bed 2i of a press, and a shoe 22 rests upon the bolster 28. This shoe 22 may be of any desired thickness and is constructed of any suitable material, but not necessarily of steel. The upper face of the shoe 22 is ground so as to present a smooth surface, in any suitable manner, anddowel pin openings 22 are provided in.

the shoe which open through the upper face thereof. The openings IS in the shoe [6 and- 22 in the shoe 22, are in registering alinement, and'may serve a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

The numeral 23 designates a die plate, similar to the plate l8, and is constructed of any suitable material, such as steel, and is comparatively thin with relation to its length and width. This plate 23 rests upon the shoe 22 and is anchored or secured thereto by means of suitable anchor bolts 24.

In the preparation of the plates l8 and 23, openings 25 are provided in the plate 18, while openings 26 are provided in the plate 23, and these openings 25-26 are adapted to be brought into registering alinement by means of temporary guide pins 21.

If the pins are used for aligning the plates in the press, the ends of the guide pinswill enter the respec ye openings I6 and 22 in the shoes l6 and 22 when the plates l8 and 23 are placed in the pressin so as to insure registering alinement of the plates and dies with respect to each other and to the'flsupporting shoes.

Secured to. the lower face of the die plate I8 is a die member 28, here shown as a female die which is anchored or secured to the plate la in any suitable manner, such as by means of fastening rivets 29; although the same may be brazed or otherwise secured in position.

A knockout plate 30 may operate within the die 28, and if employed springs 3i are recessed in the plate l8, and one end abuts the shoe l6 and the other ends operate upon heads 32 of bolts 33 which are secured to the knockout plate 38, and tend normally to move the plate 38 in a direction .to eject material from within the die 28.

Secured also to the lower plate 23 in any suitable manner, such as by means of anchoring rivets or fastening members 34, is a male die 35 which is adapted to enter the female die 28 during the operation of the press and to fit accurately therein.

Encompassing the die 35 is a. blank or work holder 36' which co-operates with the die 28 to grip the work and hold the same while it is being operated upon by the dies 28 and 35.

Springs 31 recessed into the plate 23 contact with the face of the shoe 22 and also operate on the heads 38 of bolts 39 that are secured to the work holder 36 and tend normally to hold the upper surface of the work holder 36 flush with the upper surface of the die 35.

During the-operation of the press and when the ram is lowered, the die will contact with the work 48 and cooperate with the work holder 38 to grip the work, and during a further lowering of the ram, the work holder 36 will be depressed against the stress of the springs 31 so that the work-may be severed by the dies 35 and 28 and at the same time and asvthe ram is lowered, the

ejector plate 30 will be forced into the die 38 against the stress of the springs 3|, as is usual in structures of this character.

.In Figure 4 there is shown one of the steps in one method of assembling the dies and die plates and of bringing them into position and into accurate registering alinement. The alinement of the plates l8 and 23 may be accomplished in the following manner.

The dies 28 and 35 are first respectively secured to the plates l8 and 23, and the plate l8 with the die 28 secured thereto is anchored to the ram l5 by the fastening bolts 9, with the openings 25 in registering alinement with the openings lfi in the shoe [6.

The plate 23 is anchored to the shoe 22 by means of the fastening bolts 24, with the openings 26in registering alinement with the openings 22 in the shoe 22, and the shoe is then placed loosely and unanchored upon the bolster 28, after which and while the ram -is elevated, the temporary guide pins 2'! may be inserted by one end eitherinto the openings 25 in the plate l8 or into the openings 28 in the plate 23, theends of the pins extending into the respective openings l6 and 22.

It is to be understood that the pins (if used) fit snugly within the openings in the plates and shoes, and if one end of the pins should be inserted into the openings 25 in the plate l8, and the opening IS in the shoe 16, they will be frictionally held in position and will not drop out.

With the temporary pins 21 in position in one of the die plates 18 or 23, the ram I5 is lowered, carefully, until the other ends of the pins enter the openings in the other die plate, such as the openings 28 in the plate 23 and also into the openings 22 in the shoe 22. As the shoe 22 with the plate 23 is placed loosely upon the bolster 20, it will be manifest that in the event the die 35 on the plate 23 is not in exact registering position with respect to the femaledie 28 on the plate l8, the entering of the pins 21 into the openings 26 in the plate 23 and 22 in the shoe 22, will cause the shoe 22 and plate 23 to be automatically adjusted or moved upon the bolster 28 until the dies and plates are brought into exact registering position.

The movement of the ram is then arrested, and. the pins 27 will then hold the die plate 23 and shoe 22 with its surmounted die 35 in exact registering position with respect to the plate l8 and the die 28.

The shoe 22 is then anchored to the bolster 28 in any suitable manner, such as by means of clamps or fastening bolts 22', well known in this art.

The ram i5 is then raised and the temporary guide pins 21 are removed, and these guide pins 21 may then be replaced by dowel pins (not shown) to assist in holding the die plates l8-23 against accidental displacement. It is of course understood that the dowel pins thus inserted will also respectively enterthe openings l6 and 22 in the shoes !6-22. The press may then be operated with the assurance that the dies will be held in exact registering position.

The pins 21 may be eliminated after the plates l8 and 23 have been alined with the die members thereon before being placed in the press, and when placed in-the press, the plates may be properly positioned and alined by dowel pins entering the openings in the plates and the registering openings respectively in the ram and bed of the press.

In Figure l of the drawings the partsare illusmembers.

trated in the position they will assume after the die plates 18 and 23 have been automatically alined by the temporary guide pins 21, and it will be noted that the die 35 has entered the central portion of the female die 28. After the shoe 22 has been anchored to the bolster 20, the ram 15 is raised and the guide pins 21 are removed.

In Figures '7 to 11, there is shown the method of securing registering relation between the die plates I 8 and 23 and of securing the die members to the respective plates so that they will be in exactregistering relation with respect to the plates, so that thereafter and when the plates with the dies mounted thereon are placed within the press, and the liner pins temporarily entering registering openings in the die shoes I6-22 as well as the openings 18 and 22 in the die plate shoes, the movement or adjustment of the die plates into registering relation, will simultaneously effect a registering relation between the die The method however, forms the subject matter of my co-pending application, Serial Number 747,330, filed October 8, 1934, and is described herein for the purpose of giving a full understanding of the advantages for the particular mounting plates.

The first step in the operation of this improved method is the provision of the two die plates is and 23 which, as before stated, are each comparatively thin with relation to their width and length and these plates are constructed of suitable steel. These plates are complementary with their proximate faces contacting and while being maintained in this'registering position, the openings 25 are formed in the plate 18, while the opening 28 are formed in the plate 23. The openings 25 and 26 areadapted to register respectively with openings H and 22' in the respective die plate shoes.

To the upper face of the plate I8 is secured by means of the anchoring rivets or bolts 29, the' female die 28, into which is inserted the male die 35, the latter being provided with openings 35 therethrough for the reception of the anchoring bolts or rivets 34. During this operation the plate I8 is inverted as shown in Figure 9, so that the dies 28 and 35 will be uppermost. The openingsl8 are then formed in the plate 18 by drilling the plate 23, as shown in Figure 10.

The temporary'guide pins 2'! are then inserted into the openings 25 in the plate I 8 and the openings 26 into the plate 23 so as to bring these plates into-exact registering relation. After this operation the openings 23 are formed in the'die plate 23 by drilling or otherwise and by operating the drill through the registering openings l8 and 35*- as shown in Figure 10.

The die plates 18 and 23 may then be separated and the pins 2'! removed either before or after the separation. This will result in the die 35 loosely resting upon the die plate 23, while the die 28 being secured'to the plate 18 will constitute the die and die plate to be secured to the ram l5. The die 35 is then anchored or secured to the die plate 23 by means of the anchoring'or fastening rivets or bolts 34 (Fig. 11).

Thus, it will be manifest that there will be provided two comparatively thin die plates to each of which is secured the respective die members, and after the die plate 18 has been secured or anchored to. the shoe 16 which is carried by the 'shoe 22 upon the bolster 20.

The temporary guide pins 2'! may then be inserted by one end either into the openings 25 in the plate 18 or into the openings 26 in the plate 23, and so as to extend into the openings H5 or 22 in the shoes 16 or 22. The ram 15 is then slowly lowered so as to cause the free ends of the guide pins 21 to enter the openings in the other die plate and the opening in the other shoe, and by such entering of the pins into these openings, the shoe 22 together with the die plate 23 will be automatically adjusted or moved upon the bolster 28 until the dies '28 and 35 are brought ir to accurate registering alinement. The ram is 'lowered sufficiently to cause the die 35 to enter the die 28, and the motion of the ram is then arrested, after which the die plate 23 is anchored or secured-to the bolster 20 in any suitable manner (not shown) and as usual in presses of this character. If the pins 21 are not used, the plates will be positioned in the press by dowel pins inserted in the registering openings in the plates and the respective parts of the press.

The parts having been thus secured in position and in accurate registering alinement, the ram is then raised so as to permit the removal of the temporary guide pins 21 and the insertion of dowel pins, if the latter are to be used.

With this invention it will be manifest that the cost of producing dies and-of mounting the same will be materially reduced because there is provided only a comparatively thin die mounting plate to which the die is secured and which plate constitutes only a portion of the shoe of the ram, as well as a portion of the shoe which is mounted upon the bolster of the press.

The faces of the shoe on the ram and on the bolster are machined so that the faces of the die plates will smoothly abut the same and the die plates may be readily detached from the respec-' tive shoes and other die plates with other dies thereon substituted therefor.

This invention is particularly advantageous for use in short runs and obviates the necessity of the preparation of large, heavy and expensive dies which must be produced at a considerable expense, for short runs. By reason of these thin plates and the manner of mounting and preparing the dies, as herein described, considerable expense will be saved because considerably less tool steel or very hard material will be operated upon in shaping or forming the dies, as well as mounting the same.

It will also be manifest that the dies may be readily interchanged and by providing the die mounting. plates, the amount of work necessary in installing and securing registration of the dies will be materially reduced, with a consequent reduction in expense of operation and installation.

In my United States Patent Number 1,915,531, issued June 27, 1933, there is shown and described a knockout mechanism adapting presses for operation upon work which it is not possible to operate upon with the ordinary installed knockout mechanism, by reason of the fact that the improved supplemental knockout mechanism described in such patent, increases the area of operation of the. original knockout mechanism, to a considerably greater extent than possible with the original knockout mechanism.

In Figures 1 and 2 of this application there is shown a press in which the present die mounting plates are used in connection with such knockout mechanism.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the die mounting plate I8 which is secured to the shoe I5 of the ram I5 is spaced from the shoe by means of spacer members 4 I, and the plate I8 and spacer members 4| may be anchored by means of suitable anchoring bolts 42 passing therethrough to provide a space 43. Within this space 43 is aknockout plate 44 against one face of which one end of a spring thickness of the plate I8, and secured to the free ends of the pins is a knockout plate 50 which opcrates within the female die 28.

Similarly, between the die mounting plate 23 and the shoe 22 which-rests upon the bolster are spacing members 5I to form a space 52', and these parts are secured together by anchoring or securing bolts 5|. Within the space 52 a knockout plate 53' operates and this plate is supported by pins 54 which pass through openings in the bolster and rest upon the pad 55 of the'knockout mechanism with which the press is originally provided. A boltli is secured to the bolster 20 and passes through an opening 51 in the bolster 20 and carries an adjustable nut 58 on one -end thereof. A spring 59 encompasses the bolt 56, one end of which rests against the pad 55 and the other against the nut 58, so that the tension of the spring 59 may be varied.

The knockout plate 53 serves as a support for pins 88 which pass loosely through openings 6| in the die plate 23 and the pins 50 support the work holder -88 which co-operates with the die 28 to clamp the work 40, I

In this form of the invention it will be manifest that the pins which operate the knockout plate 58, will operate through the openings I8 in the plate I8.

The registering and alining of the die plates l8 and 23, as well as the dies 28 and 35 with the knockout mechanism as shown in Figure 1, is obtained in the same manner as in the other form of the invention, that is by the use of the temporary guide pins 21.

Obviously, the necessary openings for the. anchoring bolts I9, 42, 24 "and, 5| may be formed at any suitable stage in the operation of the assembling 01' the parts, as it will be clearly apparent that the registering alinement of the plates 23 and I8 is accomplished through the medium of the temporary guide pins 21 and so long as these guide pins remain in position with respect to the plates I8 and 23, it is not possible to move these plates or the dies out of registering alinement before they are permanently fastened in position.

Furthermore, with this invention it will also be manifestthat it is .not necessary to employ the services of an expert for positioning and alining the dies and die plates, as such alinement will be quickly accomplished, and accurately, through the medium of the temporary guide pins, and furthermore, a much cheaper die as well as die mounting will be provided,- as it will not be necessary to recess the die blocks into the shoes or supporting members.

While the preferred method of carrying this invention into operation has been herein shown and described, and the preferred apparatus or manner of securing the dies in a press has also been shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the steps of the method and the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts of the mounting plates may be varied, within the scope of the claims, without departing from thespirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:-

1. In combination co-operating die supporting shoe members, one of which is reciprocable towards and away from the other, there being openings through the faces of said shoes in registering alinement, a pair of co-operating die mounting plates, comparatively thin with relation to their width and length and upon which plates co-operating die members are mounted, there being registering openings in said plates, adapted to receive means for causing the said openings in the plates to be brought into registering relation before the plates and dies are positioned in a die set and for subsequently causing the said openings in said plates to be brought into registering relation with the openings in the adjacent shoe members when the plates and dies are in position in a die set, and means for securing the die plates to said shoes.

2. In combination co-operating die supporting shoe members, one of which is reciprocable towards and away from the other, there being openings through the faces of said shoes in registering alinement, a pair of interchangeable co-operating die mounting plates, comparatively thin with relation to their width and length and upon which plates co-operating die members are mounted, there being registering openings in said plates adapted to temporarily receive alinement pins for alining the plates and die members before they are positioned in a die set between the shoe members, and means whereby said plates may be removably secured to the shoe members.

3. In combination co-operating die supporting shoe members, one of which is reciprocable towards and away from the other, there being openings through the faces of said shoes in registering alinement, a pair of interchangeable co-operating die mounting plates, comparatively thin with relation to their width and length and upon which plates co-operating die members are mounted, there being registering openings in said plates adapted to temporarily receive alinement pins for alining the plates and die members before they.

are positioned in a die set, and means whereby said plates may be removably secured to the shoe members, the registering openings in the die plates ,and the adjacent shoe members also .die members with respect to each other and in position with respect to the head and bolster of the press, and means whereby said plates may be removably secured to the respective parts of the press.

5. In combination, in a essf a pair of interchangeable co-operating-diQmoirfiting plates, said plates being comparatively thin with relation to their length and width, co-operating die members secured respectively to said plates, said plates having a plurality of openings adapted to temporarily receive alinement pins for alining them and for efiecting a perfect register between said plates and between said die members before said plates and dies are positioned in a die set,

and means whereby the plates and dies may be subsequently alined in a press by alining pin means engageable with both plates.

6. In combination, a pair of interchangeable cooperating die mounting plates, said plates being each comparatively thin with relation to its length and width, means securing a die member to the face of each of said plates, there being a plurality of co-operating openings in said plates to cause registration of the dies and plates before they are positioned in a die set, one of said plates adapted to rest against a support for free movement with respect thereto, the respective said cooperating openings adapted to receive alinement pins to bring said openings into alinement for alining said plates by causing one of the die supporting plates to aline the loose die supporting plate uponthe support for the latter when the said plates are brought together, means whereby the loose die supporting plate may be anchored to its support, and means whereby the'loose die plate support and the other die plate may be respectively secured to co-operatingparts of a press.

7. In combination; in a metal working press, a reciprocable ram, a shoe secured thereto, a supporting bed, a shoe mounted for free movement thereupon, a pairof co-operating die mounting plates each comparatively thin with relation to their thickness, there being registering openings in the plates, a die member anchored to the face of one of the plates, a co-operating die member anchored to the proximate face of the other plate, means for anchoring one of the plates to the ram shoe, the said registering openings in the plates adapted to receive alinement pins for bringing the plates into alinement and for bringing the die members into proper register before the plates and dies are positioned in a die set, and also, when the 'dies and plates are positioned in the die set, for moving said plate mounted for free movement upon its supporting bed to aline the plates and dies in the press, and means whereby the last said plate may be anchoredto its support.

8. In combination in a press, a pair of die supporting plates each comparatively thin with relation to its length and width, a pair of co-operating die members carried respectively by the proximate faces of said plates, means whereby the said plates may be respectively secured to cooperating parts of a press, said plates being provided with means with which alining pins only temporarily co-operate for bringing the pla es and die members into register before they are positioned in a die set and also subsequently into register after being positioned in a die set and before the plates'are permanently anchored in position against relative lateral displacement in the press.

9. For use in a press for mounting co-operating die members, a pair of interchangeable mounting plates, each comparatively thin with relation to its length and width and to the proximate faces of which plates the respective die members are directly secured, there being registering openings in the plates for the temporary reception of alining pins for alining the plates and die members before they are positioned in apress, said openings. being adapted-to respectively register with openings in the ram and bed of the press for the reception of dowel pins and whereby the plates will be positioned and alined within the press.

BENJAMIN E. IRMIS. 

